Non-invasive FFR Assessment via Coronary Luminal Dimension Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) in coronary arteries are invasive, labor-intensive, and pose health risks to patients, while also being uncomfortable and cumbersome for cardiologists.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that evaluates the cardiac region by obtaining and processing sequences of luminal dimensions along the coronary artery's centerline, using reference sequences and machine learning models to determine FFR values, allowing for non-invasive assessment and stent selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If invasive coronary pressure measurement is used to determine FFR, then measurement precision is improved, but patient safety and comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the coronary artery geometry from medical imaging data and performs computational fluid dynamics simulations on this digital replica to determine FFR values, eliminating the need for physical pressure wire insertion while maintaining diagnostic accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical invasive pressure measurement system with a computational fluid dynamics simulation system that uses Navier-Stokes equations to model blood flow and calculate FFR non-invasively from luminal dimension data
2Measurement precision
If invasive coronary pressure measurement is used to determine FFR, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and labor intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary computational fluid dynamics simulations and FFR calculations during the planning phase before any intervention, allowing cardiologists to review results and make treatment decisions without requiring complex invasive measurement procedures during the actual procedure
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically processes medical imaging data to generate three-dimensional models and computes FFR values through automated computational fluid dynamics simulations, reducing manual intervention and labor intensity compared to manual pressure wire insertion and measurement
3Object-affected harmful factors
If computational fluid dynamics simulation is used to determine FFR, then patient safety is improved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the coronary artery into discrete three-dimensional elements and applies boundary conditions at specific locations (inlet, outlet, and vessel walls) to make the computational fluid dynamics problem tractable while maintaining accuracy in the region of interest
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different boundary conditions and mesh densities to different regions of the coronary artery model, with higher computational resolution focused on the stenosis region where FFR is most critical, rather than uniformly high resolution throughout the entire vascular tree
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for evaluating a cardiac region of a subject from medical data. The method comprises obtaining, by the computer system, for a sequence of positions along a centerline of the coronary artery a sequence of associated luminal dimensions. The method comprises determining, by the computer system, data relating to a Fractional Flow Reserve, FFR, of the coronary artery by comparing the sequence of luminal dimensions of the coronary artery of the subject with one or more reference sequences of luminal dimensions. The method further comprises displaying the data relating to the FFR on a display.